Location

7/10

The hotel lies within a few minutes’ walk of the Roman Temple, Plaza de las Tendillas and Plaza de la Corredera, in the northeastern corner of Córdoba’s old town – convenient for all the main sights, yet removed from the tourist-centre hustle. In within 15 minutes you can wander south to the Mezquita, the Roman Bridge, the 13th-century Alcázar, the archaeological museum and the Judería.

The Palacio de Viana (a 12-patio, flower-festooned Renaissance palace) is a 10-minute walk north, and there are some fantastic restaurants right on the hotel’s doorstep.

Style & character

8/10

As the name suggests, the setting here is a beautiful cluster of townhouses rambling up around five traditional cordobés courtyards, each alluring in its own way, especially after dark when candle-lit lanterns appear. Most of the building dates from the 20th century, though you’ll spot fourth-century Roman remains beneath glass floors and out in the main Patio de los Naranjos, and there’s a Junior Suite sporting an Almohad-era wall.

Interiors are elegant, peaceful and thoroughly contemporary, full of arches and decorated with quotes by famous cordobeses, including philosophers Seneca and Maimonides and Moorish ruler Abd-ar-Rahman III.

Service & facilities

7/10

The series of gorgeous Andalucian patios to lounge in – one now reimagined with dangling cocoon chairs – plays a big part in the hotel’s attraction. Though there’s no restaurant, you can rustle up light snacks from the café-bar to enjoy in the orange-scented Patio de los Naranjos. The English-speaking reception team provides maps, sights schedules, restaurant recommendations and more, and staff are courteous and helpful throughout. Valet parking is complimentary with website bookings (otherwise €20/£17).

Bar

Laundry

Parking

Restaurant

Room service

Wi-Fi

Rooms

8/10

While the hotel feels quite private, there are 65 smartly updated rooms hidden between those fabulous patios. All are sleekly put together in cool silvers and soothing greys, featuring writing desks, large mirrors, complimentary bottled water and Eurostars’ usual range of Hierbas de Ibiza toiletries in the modern, hairdryer-equipped bathrooms. Superior rooms come with capsule-coffee kits; others have kettles only. The top-choice rooms are those that overlook the Patio de los Naranjos.

Over 7,500 tried, tested and recommended hotels

Your passport to a better trip

Food & drink

7/10

The café-bar has a spectacular setting in the porticoed baroque lobby, which is coated in red marble and has a black-marble fountain tinkling away. Its straightforward snack-style menu (dishes from €7/£6) of pizzas, salads, sandwiches and platters of tortilla or local cheeses is delivered to tile-topped tables or in the open-air courtyard next-door.

A hearty buffet breakfast, which can be taken in the same courtyard, is laid on from 7.30am to 10.30am weekdays, helpfully extended to 11.30am on weekends; expect Andalucian classics like pan con tomate and trays of local cheeses and cured ham alongside pre-cooked eggs and bacon.